An Awesome 1 Day Road trip in Taiwan with Kids: Taipei to Hualien

East Coast Taiwan is a land of spectacular scenery, natural phenomena and dramatic views. A visit here is an incredible opportunity to learn about Taiwan’s geology and experience the breath-taking gorges, cliffs and mountains formed by frequent earthquakes and the movement of tectonic plates. It’s also an easy route to drive with young kids out of urban Taipei and into the beautiful heart of the Taiwanese countryside.

An East Coast Road Trip

After 2 awesome days in Taiwan’s vibrant capital city Taipei, we loaded our hire car up and set off for an epic day on the road towards Hualien, the largest city on the East Coast.

Taipei is an amazing city to spend time in so make sure that you allocate at least 2 days (preferably more) to fully explore Taipei with kids before embarking on your Taipei-Hualien road trip.

Our road-trip days are never ‘fillers’ because we plan them to take in a few highlights. Always including a few kid-friendly highlights, because the little ones need something fun to look forward to on their stops.

To plan our trip around Taiwan, we used Lonely Planet’s Guide to Taiwan.

Here’s a summary of the kid-friendly highlights for our Taipei to Hualien road trip:

Tangweigou Jiaosi hot springs – soaking our feet with the kids and letting fish have a nibble

Wang Long Pi望龍埤 – a stunning scenic lake where kids made us lunch in the cutest of DIY pizza restaurants

Dong Ao Cold Spring (東澳冷泉) – outdoor splashing and frolics in a unique type of spring

Qixingtan beach (七星潭)– casting stones into the sea and building rock sculptures

Driving time from Taipei to Hualien

Driving from Taipei to Hualien including the above stops can be done easily in a day. The direct driving time from Taipei to Hualien is around 3.5 hours. The driving time will increase to around 4.5 hours if you include the above stops, but it’s worth it to break up the day.

If you’re interested in visiting the magnificent and mesmerizing Taroko Gorge (just North of Hualien- you’ll drive past the turn-off) check out our detailed post Family-friendly things to do in Taroko National Park with Kids.

<h2 style=”text-align: center;”>Taipei to Hualien Roadtrip: Stop 1 – Tangweigou Hot springs</h2> Taipei to Tangweigou driving time: 45 minutes <img width=”1200″ height=”900″ class=”wp-image-3086 size-full” src=”https://worldforagirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Taiwan_east_coast-5.jpg” alt=”Tangweigou hot spring park Taiwan sign”> This historical hot spring park is right in the centre of the town of Jiaosi/ Jiaoxi The first stop on our Taipei to Hualien road trip was Tangweigou Hot Springs, where you can dip your feet for free in the town centre. There is a car park next door, so it’s a very convenient stop. The hot springs aren’t boiling hot, meaning that H and Z could enjoy the temperature. I was surprised at how much they were into the hot springs. I thought they might be bored but, in the end, we had to drag them away. The springs are set in a luscious park area with lots of greenery. <img width=”1200″ height=”900″ class=”size-full wp-image-3084″ src=”https://worldforagirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Taiwan_east_coast-3.jpg” alt=”view of Tangweigou hot spring park”> Enjoying the warm water at Tangweigou <img width=”1200″ height=”900″ class=”size-full wp-image-3082″ src=”https://worldforagirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Taiwan_east_coast-1.jpg” alt=”man and boy getting feet nibbled by fish”> The fish loved nibbling away at Rhino’s dry skin! For $80 Taiwanese Dollar (around 2 Pounds/Euros, or 3 US Dollars) you can get your feet nibbled in a pool of eager fish. H and Z watched as both Rhino and I squirmed and giggled at the peculiar sensation. It was extremely ticklish and I had to keep pulling my feet out. After seeing our reactions, H and Z decided against dipping their feet in. Wise kids! But they loved watching how Mummy and Daddy struggled with the tickles! <img width=”1200″ height=”900″ class=”size-full wp-image-3083″ src=”https://worldforagirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Taiwan_east_coast-2.jpg” alt=”fish nibbling at feet in fish spa Taiwan”> Fish nibbling my feet – I hated the sensation! <h2 style=”text-align: center;”>Taipei to Hualien Roadtrip: Stop 2 – Wanglongpi Scenic Lake</h2> Tangweigou to Wanglongpi driving time: 30 minutes It wasn’t the lake that drew us to Wanglongpi, but a lunch restaurant recommendation that we’d had. Eating out with kids all the time can be a drag, so we wanted lunch to be entertaining. Rhino found a ‘DIY Pizza’ restaurant at the southern end of Wanglongpi so we headed there for an early lunch. <img width=”1200″ height=”900″ class=”size-full wp-image-3087″ src=”https://worldforagirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Taiwan_east_coast-6.jpg” alt=”girl and bou making pizza in taiwan”> The kids loved being pizza chefs! Entertaining the kids by having them make pizzas worked a treat! Plus it was the cutest thing to watch them! The restaurant provided chefs hats and aprons, then guided them through the process. H and Z rolled and tossed the dough, before spreading the tomato base and adding the pizza toppings. H made us a Hawaiian pizza and Z prepared tomato and basil. The pizzas were actually pretty delicious and the kids were excited to eat them. The address and details are: 豬龍寨 DIY Pizza @ 望龍埤, 宜蘭縣員山鄉枕山村坡城路38號(望龍埤) Tel: 0935-187839 or <a rel=”noopener” href=”http://www.pos-bieipo.com” target=”_blank”>click here for details</a>. <img width=”1200″ height=”900″ class=”size-full wp-image-3118″ src=”https://worldforagirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Scenic_lake.jpg” alt=”boy at scenic lake in Taiwan”> Taking a stroll around the Wanglongpi lake Wanglongpi lake is very picturesque too and popular with families. We had a quick stroll around the boardwalks and over the oriental bridges before hopping back into the car. There is also an ice cream shop by the lake, but we were too full up from the expertly prepared pizza. <h2 style=”text-align: center;”>Taipei to Hualien Roadtrip: Stop 3– Dongao cold springs</h2> Wanglongpi to Dongao driving time: 1 hour <img width=”1200″ height=”900″ class=”wp-image-3088 size-full” src=”https://worldforagirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Taiwan_east_coast-7.jpg” alt=”cold springs in taiwan”> It might not look like it but the cold springs are really pleasant to visit! Cold springs are a rare phenomenon and Taiwan provided us with an opportunity to try something completely new. Brilliantly, young kids can also enjoy them. Unlike many hot springs where the very hot water can scold cold springs are more likely to give you the shivers! Apparently, Dongao cold springs (or Dongyue cold springs) are full of locals in the summer months, especially on the weekends. But on the overcast and drizzly day in spring that we visited we had the place to ourselves. In fact, we crept in through a hole of the fence! As it started to drizzle, we realised that cold springs are a bit, well… cold! Rhino and H braved the cold water and went for a paddle. They had fun crossing the pool a few times on the large rocks which served as dams to slow the running water down. There were a few scary moments when the boys slipped, but they survived with only a few scratches – they seemed more bothered that falls would leave them more immersed in the cold water! Dongao Cold Springs is a peculiar place. There are train lines passing overhead which makes it feel industrial, not rural. But this somehow adds to the charm. You feel you are experiencing something local and down to earth, rather than the usual tourist highlights. Of course, kids love spotting the trains and waving at the passengers. Just pick a warmer, drier day than we did to visit! <h2 style=”text-align: center;”>Taipei to Hualien Roadtrip: Stop 4 – Qixingtan beach</h2> Dongao to Qixingtan driving time: 2 hours. <img width=”1200″ height=”900″ class=”aligncenter size-full wp-image-3091″ src=”https://worldforagirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Taiwan_east_coast-10.jpg” alt=”boy playing on pebble beach Taiwan”> There are two things to note about Qixingtan beach before going: it’s not sandy and is a stone/pebble beach, and swimming isn’t permitted due to the strong currents. We wanted to stop anyway as H loves the beach and we all like being by the ocean. Despite it being overcast so that we couldn’t enjoy the supposedly luscious backdrop of the green hills, we had a good time at Qixingtan beach and spent longer there than we intended to. All of us took turns throwing stones towards the ocean and it didn’t take us long to discover that there are some really interesting pebbles to find. Many of the pebbles have white streaks running through them so we had a mini-competition to find the most interesting stones. From Qixingtan beach, it was just a short 15 minutes hop to our <a rel=”noopener” href=”https://www.airbnb.com” target=”_blank”>AirBnB</a> apartment in Hualien. <h2 style=”text-align: center;”>Things to do in Hualien with kids</h2> <img width=”1200″ height=”900″ class=”aligncenter size-full wp-image-3090″ src=”https://worldforagirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Taiwan_east_coast-9.jpg” alt=””> Our stop in Hualien was to base ourselves for <a rel=”noopener” href=”https://worldforagirl.com/family-friendly-things-to-do-in-taroko-national-park-with-kids/” target=”_blank”>Taroko Gorge</a> and the national park, which is situated north of Hualien. Arriving in the evening after our Taipei to Hualien road trip, and planning to depart for Taroko Gorge in the morning, left us one day in Hualien sandwiched between a 2-night stay. To be honest, there isn’t much to do in Hualien itself. We wandered around the Hualien Railway Culture Park (a small museum with a model railway and some carriages), the night market and also the neon-glowing shopping streets. If you have time continue driving south where the coastline gets increasingly dramatic and picturesque. Almost 30% of the population of Hualien county are aborigines and this makes for an interesting mix of cultures in the city. Throughout the year, there are many fascinating indigenous festivals and celebrations. <a rel=”noopener” href=”https://eng.taiwan.net.tw/” target=”_blank”>Check here</a> to see if your visit coincides with a festival. <h2 style=”text-align: center;”>Tips for hiring a car and driving in Taiwan</h2> <img width=”1200″ height=”900″ class=”size-full wp-image-3095″ src=”https://worldforagirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Taiwan_east_coast-14.jpg” alt=”a white car going through a rock tunnel in Taroko Gorge, Taiwan”> Hiring a car gave us the opportunity to explore the magnificent Taroko Gorge We hired our car through <a rel=”noopener” href=”https://www.ponyrent.com.tw/” target=”_blank”>Pony Car Rental</a>, picking it up in Taipei international airport and dropping it off in Kaohsiung airport. They gave a really good service and the car was great to drive. We booked it through <a rel=”noopener” href=”http://www.rentalcars.com” target=”_blank”>Pony Car Rental</a> and used his International Drivers Licence (required for most countries) to pick it up. Driving is on the right-hand side of the road. Even if this isn’t your usual side, driving isn’t too tricky as the local Taiwanese obey the rules of the road pretty strictly. This means that you always get indicator lights flashing ahead of changing lanes and turning, which makes things safer. The speed limit is adhered to generally too, probably because there are so many speed cameras around. The speed limits – often with minimum speeds, as well as maximum speeds – are well signposted. Lastly, note that it is prohibited to turn right on a red light. The main difficulty of driving in Taiwan is the traffic in towns and cities. There is so much going on with bikes and scooters pulling out and whizzing past, that it’s best to drive with caution. There’s nothing particularly dangerous going on, it’s just the sheer volume of moving vehicles and pedestrians make collisions more likely. <h2 style=”text-align: center;”>Where to visit next in Taiwan with kids?</h2> We carefully planned this road trip to put us in a prime location for exploring the stunning <a rel=”noopener” href=”https://worldforagirl.com/family-friendly-things-to-do-in-taroko-national-park-with-kids/” target=”_blank”>Taroko National Park</a>. However, you may prefer to keep driving south on the coastal highway and visit the white-sand beaches and coral reefs of Kenting National Park (described to us as the Hawaii of Taiwan). If you love road trips, why not check out our posts <a rel=”noopener” href=”https://worldforagirl.com/europe-road-trip-baby-toddler/” target=”_blank”>Top 5 Europe Road Trips with Babies and Toddlers.</a> No time to read now? Pin for later! <img width=”300″ height=”400″ class=”alignleft wp-image-3120 size-medium” src=”https://worldforagirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/taipei_hualien-300×400.jpg” alt=”1 day road trip taipei to hualien taiwan with kids pin”> <img width=”300″ height=”400″ class=”alignleft wp-image-3117 size-medium” src=”https://worldforagirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/hualien_taipei-300×400.jpg” alt=”tapei to hualien road trip with kids pin”>

9 Comments on “An Awesome 1 Day Road trip in Taiwan with Kids: Taipei to Hualien”


Clare (Suitcases and Sandcastles)
05.02.2019 at 2:36 pm

This is a genius idea of a road trip with young kids – or even people like me, to be honest! I really don’t like being stuck in the car for hours on end but would actually enjoy small drives like this, with fun and different things to do at each stop. I must try the fish nibbling the feet thing one of these days! Thanks for sharing on #farawayfiles
1. Reply
  
  Kirsty
  05.08.2019 at 3:50 am
  
  Lol… I wasn’t very keen on the fish nibbling. I have read reports that it might spread disease so I’m glad the kids didn’t want to try. The hot springs though were lovely to soak your feet in. Thanks for reading!

hilary
05.03.2019 at 6:15 am

We don’t have the fish nibbling here in the US, it’s not allowed, but I do think I’d like to try it at least once. We do a lot of road trips and I agree with you that stopping at interesting places along the way makes all the difference. Looks like a lovely time was had by all. #farawayfiles
1. Reply
  
  Kirsty
  05.08.2019 at 3:52 am
  
  It’s incredibly ticklish! I hated it – there’s an awful video of me squirming! Taiwan is an awesome place to do a road trip with kids there’s so much to do. Thanks for reading!

Phoebe | LouMessugo
05.04.2019 at 2:04 pm

What a pleasure to read about a country that gets so little travel press. I think this is the first blog post I’ve ever read about Taiwan. That beach looks like a Côte d’Azur beach! We have the same pebbles. #farawayfiles
1. Reply
  
  Kirsty
  05.08.2019 at 3:53 am
  
  Thanks for reading. Yes, we don’t hear about Taiwan much but it’s so beautiful. A great place to discover before the crowds do!
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Alex
10.12.2019 at 1:44 am

I have to thank you for the itinerary – we followed it almost to the letter and it made for a very enjoyable day with a 3- and 5-year-old, that could have been a wasted one. And those pizzas were good!!!
1. Reply
  
  Kirsty
  10.13.2019 at 1:36 pm
  
  Alex, thank you for one of the best comments I’ve had! It means that absolute world to me that the itineraries and guides we write are useful to our readers. Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and feedback to us. Taiwan is awesome, isn’t it?!

An East Coast Road Trip

Here’s a summary of the kid-friendly highlights for our Taipei to Hualien road trip:

Driving time from Taipei to Hualien

9 Comments on “An Awesome 1 Day Road trip in Taiwan with Kids: Taipei to Hualien”

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